What the difference between the Business letter and Memo

or for correspondence between such
organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties.

The overall style of letter will depend on the
relationship between the parties concerned.

There are many reasons to write a business
letter. It could be:

to request direct information or action from
another party,

to order supplies from a supplier,

to identify a mistake that was committed,

to reply directly to a request,

to apologize for a wrong,

simply to convey goodwill.

Even today, the business letter is still very
useful because it produces a permanent record, is confidential, formal and
delivers persuasive, well-considered messages

Instructions:

Start with basic company or formal
letterhead. Make sure your address is included at the top, along
with your contact details and company logo if applicable.

Write the date. Place
the recipient's address two lines below the date, above the salutation. Include
name, formal title, company name and the office address.

Type the salutation two lines below
the recipient's address. Address the recipient using "Dear,"
followed by the individual's title and last name. Remember to add a colon rather
than a comma after the last name. Use "To Whom it May Concern" or "Dear
Sir/Madam" if you do not know the recipient's name or gender.

Begin your intro
paragraph. Talk about why you are writing the business letter and
what you would like to request from the recipient. State your position if
presenting an argument. Reference events, meetings or individuals that are
familiar or relevant to the reader.

Elaborate on the purpose or main
topic of your letter in the body. Provide examples supporting your
argument, request or proposal. Give details on product features and benefits, as
well as customer testimonials if selling to a client or prospect.

Follow the body with your
conclusion. Reiterate your initial request or position. Thank the
reader for her time and consideration, and tell her how she can contact you for
further questions or information.

End with a complimentary close two lines down from the last
sentence of the body. Allot four spaces for your signature and printed
name.

A memo is a note, document or other communication that helps the memory by recording events or observations on a topic, such as may be used in a business office. A business memo is widely used by organizations to communicate to its memberâ€™s pertinent information in an effective and efficient manner. The information communicated reflects policy changes, new products being introduced or new developments in solving new or current business problems.

The typical structure for a briefing note includes: Fill out the header information. State clearly who the memo is to, from, the date, and what the memo is regarding. Begin with why the recipient is receiving the memo (the subject).
The first paragraph should be a purpose statement that can be as simple as, "The purpose of this memo is to..."
Include a brief summary of the problem or need you are writing about. The body of the memo should expand on these themes. State any actions you need the recipient to perform and when you need them performed by.
Close with any follow up items required from the recipients. Also, make sure the ending is courteous and respectful to the readers. Even if you are communicating difficult news remember to do so in a poised and dignified manner.
A business memo also may be a call for action for all team members to become involved in. Writing a business memo is a great tool for leadership teams. Make it short, one page if possible. Bulleted lists are an easy way for the reader to understand the key points of the memo immediately.

Business
memos are usually internal, that is between employees within a business,
company or organization. Memos use short sentences, less formal language, and
bullet points to convey important information. Memos always contain a header
that tells who it is from, who it is to, the date, and the subject.

On the other hand, business letters are
usually between two businesses or a business and its clients. Because of this,
business letters tend to be longer and use more formal language

About the format:

Heading

Business letter include an address block and an inside address. Omit your name
from the address block, spell out street and state names, and end with the
date. Skip two spaces and begin the inside address. Start with the
recipient's name, title, and address. For memos, headings include the
following: to, from, date, and subject, with a colon and one blank space
after each. Senders should initial their names.

Greetings

In business letter, place the
greetings two lines below the heading. Greet a person and add a
colon. Unlike a letter, salutations are not used in memos, which begin by
directly stating the purpose of the document instead.

Body Paragraphs

When writing a business letter, body
paragraphs begin two spaces below the heading. Use single spacing within
the paragraph and add two blank spaces between paragraphs. Memos often
contain headings and lists, which may use numbers or bullets to summarize
main points.

Closing and Signature Block

Close with the words sincerely yours. Leave four blank lines, and then include your name and
honorifics.
Memos do not contain a closing or signature.